A. Field of the Invention
The embodiments of the present invention relate to a pairing system for a garment pair, and more particularly, the embodiments of the present invention relate to a pairing and indexing system for a garment pair.
B. Description of the Prior Art
Keeping pairs of garment items together is well known to be a difficult task. Socks, gloves, hosiery, etc. easily become separated, either when stored in a drawer or when laundered. Particularly in households with children, an enormous amount of time can be wasted searching for the mate to a sock, mitten, or glove. If the mate is not found, the other member of the pair generally must be discarded.
Matching pairs of socks, gloves, hosiery, etc. is more difficult if a large number of socks, gloves, hosiery, etc are being washed, as may be the case in a hospital, nursing home, or large household. Matching pairs can be especially difficult if various pairs of socks, gloves, hosiery, etc are being laundered, which are similar in appearance, but do not match. Socks, gloves, hosiery, etc come in a variety of colors and fabrics, many of which can be difficult to distinguish under ordinary lighting conditions. Different sizes of socks, gloves, hosiery, etc can also be hard to sort out, such as when men's and women's socks of the same color and brand are laundered together.
Numerous innovations for fasteners for pairing garments utilized in pairs have been provided in the prior art, which will be described below in chronological order to show advancement in the art, and which are incorporated herein by reference thereto. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention in that they do not teach a pairing and indexing system for a garment pair.    (1) U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,413 to Ursino.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,413 issued to Ursino on Aug. 13, 1991 in U.S. class 2 and subclass 239 teaches a fastening device for securing a pair of socks together, which includes a first fastener attached to one sock of the pair and a second fastener attached to the other sock of the pair. The fasteners are releasably engageable with one another. The fastening device prevents the loss of socks due to separation from one another and the inconsistent pairing of socks of a similar type.    (2) U.S. Pat. No. 5,321,855 to Ciuffo.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,321,855 issued to Ciuffo on Jun. 21, 1994 U.S. class 2 and subclass 239 teaches a hook and loop reusable and reclosable fastening system for pairing socks, hosiery, and gloves. The fastening system is permanently attached to the socks and hosiery. A preferred embodiment includes an elastic, or other stretchable backing material, attached to each hook and loop panel, preferably, made up of thin separable strips that can move with the expansion and contraction of the sock and attachment material. Another preferred embodiment includes several thin strips of the hook and loop panels attached directly to each sock, so that the sock itself can serve as a stretchable backing material. Another preferred embodiment is that each hook and loop panel, respectively, is attached to a logo or decorative pattern on the sock to camouflage the particular hook and loop panel. The products, such as socks, hosiery, gloves, and the like can be attached by the hook and loop attachment apparatus for washing, drying, and storage.    (3) U.S. Pat. No. 5,740,558 to Messman.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,740,558 issued to Messman on Apr. 21, 1998 in U.S. Class 2 and subclass 239 teaches a device for attaching flexible articles, such as clothing items, having an edge. The device includes a flexible strip that includes an end with a sewable edge, and a second end having a fastening device. The device may be sown to an edge of the flexible article, such as a pair of socks, allowing the user to temporarily join a pair of socks, for example, by taking at least two of the flexible strips and stitching the sewable edge of each flexible strip to an edge of each of the socks of a pair of socks. This allows the fastening of the second end of one flexible strip to the second end of the other flexible strip, so that the clothing items may be secured together when they are not being worn.    (4) U.S. Pat. No. 6,032,294 to Dean.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,032,294 issued to Dean on Mar. 7, 2000 in U.S. class 2 and subclass 239 teaches a sock pair or glove pair having a first and a second sock or glove and at least one snap fastener. Each snap fastener has a male part, a female part, and two securing parts. At least one snap fastener is a retaining snap fastener. Each sock or glove has a U-shaped fabric tab folded over the upper or wrist edge of the sock or glove. The tab is retained on the sock or the glove by the male or the female part and one of the securing parts of the retaining snap fastener. The retaining snap fastener is located at a fastener distance from the upper or wrist edge of the sock or glove. The fastener distance is at least the fastener width, and may be up to 2.5 times the fastener width. At least one of the tabs has an indicia indicating the source of the sock or glove. The inner and outer distal edges of each tab, preferably, conform to the shape of the snap fastener holding the tab on. The glove or sock pair is comfortable, durable, and particularly suited for inexpensive mass production by machine. The pair can be easily mated when desired for laundering or storage.    (5) U.S. Pat. No. 6,092,241 to Bellet.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,092,241 issued to Bellet on Jul. 25, 2000 in U.S. class 2 and subclass 239 teaches socks, and, more particularly, to socks having a complementary mate, which enable a pair of socks to be fastened together when not being worn or during laundering and drying.    (6) U.S. Pat. No. 6,185,751 to Mason.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,185,751 issued to Mason on Feb. 13, 2001 in U.S. class 2 and subclass 239 teaches a device for attaching articles of clothing together. The device utilizes paired fasteners on each of the two articles of clothing to be attached together. This allows the two articles to either be attached together or turned inside out and folded upon themselves and attached to themselves. In this folded-down state, the fasteners are hidden from view.
It is apparent that numerous innovations for fasteners for pairing garments utilized in pairs have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the embodiments of the present invention as heretofore described, namely, a pairing and indexing system for a garment pair.